Environmental Sustainability and Social Desirability Issues in Pig Feeding*
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605 Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. Vol. 20, No. 4 : 605 - 614 April 2007 www.ajas.info Environmental Sustainability and Social Desirability Issues in Pig Feeding* T. S. Yang** Division of Applied Biology, Animal Technology Institute Taiwan, P.O. Box 23, Chunan, Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC ABSTRACT : Feeding pigs used to be a means of managing domestic resources that may otherwise have been wasted into valuable animal protein. Feeding pigs thus was a form of husbandry. Following recent rapid industrial development, pig rearing has changed from extensive to intensive, but this transformation has been associated with major concerns. The concentration of large amounts of pig manure in small arrears is environmentally hazardous. Moreover, high densities of animals in intensive production systems also impose a health threat for both animals and humans. Furthermore, the use of growth promoters and preventive medicines for higher production efficiencies, such as in-feed antibiotics, also induces microbial resistance thus affects human therapeutics. In addition, consumers are questioning the ethics of treating animals in intensive production systems. Animal welfare, environmental and bio-safe issues are re- shaping the nature of pig production systems. Feeding pigs thus involves not only the consideration of economic traits, but also welfare traits and environmental traits. Thus, a focus on technological feasibility, environmental sustainability and social desirability is essential for successful feeding operations. Feeding pigs now involves multiple projects with different sustainability goals, but goal conflicts exist since no pattern or scenario can fulfill all sustainability goals and the disagreements are complicated by reduced or even no use of in- feed antibiotics. Thus it is difficult to feed pigs in a manner that meets all goals of high quality, safe product, eco- and bio-sustainability, animal welfare and profit. A sustainable pig production system thus requires a prioritization of goals based on understanding among consumers, society and producers and needs to view from both a local and global perspective. (Key Words : Pig Feeding, Environmental Sustainability, Social Desirability) INTRODUCTION animal-derived food consumption. The increase in real incomes of consumers and in urbanization has led pork to The judicious use of domestic resources to cultivate or be produced in intensive systems, thus lowering the cost of produce of plants and animals is known as husbandry. The production through economies of scale. Industrial pig use of pigs as converters, rather than scavengers, to production is capitally and technologically intensive, and is transform farm left-over or kitchen swill to favorable also highly labor efficient. It drives trade in feed grains and animal products not only provides organic fertilizer for other feed resources, and thus is detached from land in crops, but is also beneficial for nutrient management, and terms of feed supply and waste disposal. Consequently, pig undoubtedly constitutes husbandry. Pigs under such a production is fairly transportable, since it is not restricted to minimum waste system of conventional agriculture are highly specific geographic locations (grain producing areas) traditionally kept in small herds as a sideline source of farm or climate conditions (temperate environments). The revenue. Following industrial developments and economic application of controlled environment measures has enabled growth, pig rearing has rapidly industrialized and changed pig production in a range of disfavoring regions (tropical from extensive to intensive due to greater demands for and subtropical) around the world. Therefore, pig husbandry has evolved into commercial pork production * This paper was presented at the 4th International Symposium on through the adoption of modern technologies of animal th Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition during the 12 Animal science, and knowledge of finance and commerce, to meet Sciences Congress, Asian-Australasian Association of Animal the consumption needs of urban consumers with high Production Societies held in Busan, Korea (September 18-22th, disposable incomes. 2006). ** Corresponding Author: T. S. Yang. Conversely, industrial systems of pig production cause E-mail: [email protected], Division of Applied Biology, some substantial concerns. The concentration of large Animal Technology Institute Taiwan, P.O. Box 23, Chunan, quantities of pig manure in small areas is hazardous to the Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC. environment. This problem is aggravated by the expansion 606 T. S. Yang (2007) Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 20(4):605-614 of metropolitan areas, and the placing of production near recycling. LCA is a tool to assess the environmental large cities to allow good market access. High densities of impacts of product systems and services, accounting for the animals in intensive production systems also impose a emissions and resource usage during the production, constant health threat for both animals and humans. The use distribution, use and disposal of a product (ISO 14045, of growth promoters and preventive medicines for higher 1999). It also includes methods for grouping different efficiencies, such as in-feed antibiotics, also induces emission based on the extent of the environment impact microbial resistance, and consequently affects human caused when released. The effects of eutrophication and therapeutics through horizontal gene transfer or survival global warming, which are mainly based on input-output niche movement. Some swine exotic diseases also analysis by LCA approaches, are utilized as indicators to significantly increase the risk of zoonoses. Moreover, inform policy making, select areas of action, identify the consumers, who have been benefited by the low cost and most sustainable methods, advise consumers and evaluate secure supply of industrial production, are questioning the the effectiveness of sustainable consumption or production ethics of raising animals in intensive systems, and are measures, when considering sustainable consumption and increasingly willing to pay more for similar products with production. This assessment can help producers to reduce ethical as well as ecological values. Environmental issues, the environmental impact of a product during its life cycle, animal welfare and safety are particularly important in the such as in pig production, addressing the energy in feed knowledge-based economy, and have moved animal formulation and consumption when rearing a pig herd, as production beyond the singular goal of providing animal well as the environmental load linked with the disposal or products and maximizing profit. treatment of pig manure. Environmental, bio-safe and animal welfare issues are The environmental impact of pig production in a life changing pig production systems, requiring effective cycle perspective has previously been described (Basset- management of resources such as water, soil, air and Mens and van der Werf, 2005). High nitrogen utilization is biomaterials from microbials to feed materials, along with generally agreed to be the most important measure for respect for animal rights. Therefore, feeding pigs is not only reducing hazards of acidification and eutrophication in a pig a consideration of economic traits such as growth rate, lean production system. The European Union’s Nitrate Directive percent, feed efficiency and litter size, but also (91/676/EC), which permits a maximum of 170 kg N/ha to environmental traits (e.g. less excretion of N and P) and be applied to cultivated land each year to keep the N welfare traits (e.g. little stereotypies, maternity, fitness and concentration of surface water below 50 mg nitrate/L, disease resistance). Producers seeking a fair income for indicating that a manure surplus in particular N surplus is their current work and investment are facing challenges, considered as an threat to water quality. because feeding pigs should not only be environmental Reducing N loss from the farm must begin with proper friendly and biologically safe, but also be accommodate animal feeding and management to reduce N excretion. A social ethics. Hence, the technological feasibility, low-protein pig diet has been recommended to improve the environmental sustainability and the social desirability are environmental performance, and can be achieved by essential for successful operations. including a large quantity of synthetic amino acids (Han and Lee, 2000; Han et al., 2001). Indeed, lowering the ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY dietary crude protein level from 16% to 12%, and supplementing the diet with crystalline lysine, tryptophan Life cycle assessment and threonine, could significantly decrease the level of N New incentives and policies for ensuring the excretion, provided that growth performance and lean tissue sustainability of agriculture and ecosystem services are gain are similar in growing pigs whether they are housed in crucial to ensure that food meets the growing demand a thermal-neutral or heat-stressed environment (Kerr et al., without compromising environmental integrity and public 2003). health (Tilman et al., 2002). Feeding pigs involves multiple Several general strategies of nutrition and feed environmental projects, and involves two major management besides amino acid supplementation exist to sustainability issues: eutrophication or acidification, and reduce nutrient excretions and odors from pig manure. global warming or energy consumption. The environmental Avoiding excessive overages